Though only in my 30s, I've cultivated a cynical outlook of
the business world worthy of a dyspeptic old man--think Andy Rooney
with lots of hair and a great handbag collection. This basic
distrust of human motives makes me well-suited to work on my own
and, according to my high school aptitude tests, be a lawyer.

A little business cynicism may serve you well when you face the
defection of a top producer. Because you hired a high achiever who
knows his or her way around a client meeting, a pro who's
fearless and impervious to rejection, you may have trained your
future competition. When you hear the good news-that your employee
is starting his or her own shop and the shingle's set to debut
any day-what should you do? It's time to beat feet: Secure
outstanding client lists, assign a new salesperson to the
employee's accounts, and get on the horn to let clients know
who'll be their new sales representative.

It's rough enough to lose a good employee, so when your top
salesperson bids you adieu, keep these points in mind to prevent a
client exodus as well:

Protect your company's assets from the get-go with a
noncompete agreement. Nicholas C. York, an attorney and partner
at Arter & Hadden LLP in Cleveland works with entrepreneurs and
emerging-growth companies. York is blunt about the need for a
noncompete agreement right upfront: "If you wait until your
top sales producer decides he's leaving to take a position with
a competitor, or if the entrepreneurial bug bites him, it's
probably too late."

Talk with a lawyer about crafting the right noncompete agreement
for your business. A standard agreement aims to protect you from an
employee poaching your accounts for a certain amount of time after
employment ends. York says such agreements are "generally
enforceable to protect 'legitimate business interests,'
[though] the enforceability and/or scope of the protection varies
from state to state."

Andrea Nierenberg is principal of The Nierenberg Group Inc., a
consulting firm in New York City that specializes in sales,
customer service, presentation skills and management training.
Nierenberg encourages entrepreneurs to create a document that
spells out what happens when the employee-employer relationship
ends, specifying provisions about the salesperson steering clear of
his or her former company's clients for a certain amount of
time.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Cathy
Kato, a business coach in Beaverton, Oregon, agrees that
noncompetes are worthwhile, but she also believes that they're
"very hard to enforce and are not generally enforced as long
as the ex-employee doesn't try to take a large portion of his
business with him." Kato, also coaches business clients on the
steps to take to avoid account pilferage. When an employee gives
notice, Kato recommends entrepreneurs pay the salesperson the final
two weeks' salary, then conduct an exit interview and escort
the employee out of the building.

Never lose touch with your clients. If the salesperson
is the only contact a customer has with your company, you may be
left wondering what the hell happened to all your clients. Get out
in the field on regular sales calls and check in with clients at
least quarterly. Of course you're swamped, but lose touch with
the people who put you in the black at your peril.

Kimberly L. McCall is president of McCall Media &
Marketing (www.marketingangel.com), a business communications
company in Freeport, Maine.